(l-r) Twins Lamar and Ke’yaun Bradford, stars on the Big Reds football team, are three-sport athletes with football, wrestling, and track.
(Photo credit: Melvin Lane)
By Melvin Lane
LocalSportsJournal.com
If you attended a Muskegon Big Reds football game over the 2025 fall season, it didn’t take long to hear the name Bradford over the public address system.
You’d hear it in every phase of the game — offense, defense, and special teams — thanks to twin brothers Lamar and Ke’yaun Bradford.
Lamar, No. 6, starred as the Big Reds’ starting quarterback. His twin brother, Ke’yaun, No. 7, was a starting cornerback on defense. Both seniors also were key contributors on the special teams squad.
The Bradfords were integral in bringing the energy, edge, and toughness that defined Muskegon football this season — traits the two young men have exhibited since their early days with the Port City Youth Football Club. The twins are three-sport athletes, staying busy year-round with football, wrestling, and track. When asked which sport best prepared them for their prowess on the football field, the answer came quickly: wrestling.
“I think our toughness comes from wrestling,” Lamar said. “When you’re out there on that mat, you can’t blame anyone else. It teaches you grit and how to push through.”
Ke’yaun, a state finalist in wrestling, agreed. “All the headbutts, grappling, and slaps — it all helps you get ready to take a hit in football.”
Head coach Shane Fairfield said the brothers were destined — and excited to become big-time Big Reds.
“Building relationships with them early was important,” Fairfield said. “They’ve been around Muskegon athletics since fifth or sixth grade. They’d come running up to me at basketball games just to shake my hand. Now I’m coaching them. I’ve coached twins before, but those two are definitely unique.
Sometimes I have to separate them because of their competitiveness, but it’s been a lot of fun.”
For Lamar, earning the starting quarterback job didn’t come easy. He battled through two intense offseasons to win the position for his senior year. The season didn’t start smoothly — the Big Reds opened 0–2 — but Lamar stayed focused, crediting his mother, Brittanie Cates, and former Muskegon quarterback M’Khi Guy for their support.
“My mom is Miss Make It Happen,” Lamar said with a smile. “She goes out of her way for Ke’yaun and me. M’Khi helped me focus on the ‘heart over height’ mentality. Seeing 6’2” or 6’3” quarterbacks getting (college scholarship) offers — I couldn’t let that get to me. I just had to make sure I stayed sharp and didn’t slack on my preparation.”
That mindset paid off. In Week 6, Lamar rushed for 245 yards and four touchdowns — his best performance of the season.
Ke’yaun, meanwhile, made the switch from defensive line to the secondary this year, where he’s been a huge difference-maker. He credits defensive backs coach Van Parker for helping him make the transition.
“Coach Parker isn’t the biggest guy,” Ke’yaun said. “When he played in college, he wasn’t the biggest or fastest either. He inspires me because I’m small for a DB. He put that ‘dog mentality’ in me, and I owe him for the position I’m in right now.”
Fairfield said he’s seen the most growth in the brothers off the field.
“Ke’yaun’s the jokester, the comedian — but when he got baptized and gave himself to God, I saw real change in his maturity,” Fairfield said. “Lamar hyperextended his elbow during wrestling, and when he came back, there was a lot of social media talk saying we wouldn’t be very good with him at quarterback. To see him take all that negativity and turn it into motivation has been amazing. He’s handled it with a maturity most teenagers shouldn’t have to develop yet.”
While Muskegon suffered a heartbreaking 16-14 loss at home to Traverse City Central in the Division 2 playoffs , the Bradford brothers and the rest of the Big Reds put the storied football program back on the right track after last year’s 3–5 campaign.
And for now, Ke’yaun and Lamar are continuing to focus on each season and moment of their high school journey — enjoying every bit of brotherhood and bonding along the way.
LocalSportsJournal.com
If you attended a Muskegon Big Reds football game over the 2025 fall season, it didn’t take long to hear the name Bradford over the public address system.
You’d hear it in every phase of the game — offense, defense, and special teams — thanks to twin brothers Lamar and Ke’yaun Bradford.
Lamar, No. 6, starred as the Big Reds’ starting quarterback. His twin brother, Ke’yaun, No. 7, was a starting cornerback on defense. Both seniors also were key contributors on the special teams squad.
The Bradfords were integral in bringing the energy, edge, and toughness that defined Muskegon football this season — traits the two young men have exhibited since their early days with the Port City Youth Football Club. The twins are three-sport athletes, staying busy year-round with football, wrestling, and track. When asked which sport best prepared them for their prowess on the football field, the answer came quickly: wrestling.
“I think our toughness comes from wrestling,” Lamar said. “When you’re out there on that mat, you can’t blame anyone else. It teaches you grit and how to push through.”
Ke’yaun, a state finalist in wrestling, agreed. “All the headbutts, grappling, and slaps — it all helps you get ready to take a hit in football.”
Head coach Shane Fairfield said the brothers were destined — and excited to become big-time Big Reds.
“Building relationships with them early was important,” Fairfield said. “They’ve been around Muskegon athletics since fifth or sixth grade. They’d come running up to me at basketball games just to shake my hand. Now I’m coaching them. I’ve coached twins before, but those two are definitely unique.
Sometimes I have to separate them because of their competitiveness, but it’s been a lot of fun.”
For Lamar, earning the starting quarterback job didn’t come easy. He battled through two intense offseasons to win the position for his senior year. The season didn’t start smoothly — the Big Reds opened 0–2 — but Lamar stayed focused, crediting his mother, Brittanie Cates, and former Muskegon quarterback M’Khi Guy for their support.
“My mom is Miss Make It Happen,” Lamar said with a smile. “She goes out of her way for Ke’yaun and me. M’Khi helped me focus on the ‘heart over height’ mentality. Seeing 6’2” or 6’3” quarterbacks getting (college scholarship) offers — I couldn’t let that get to me. I just had to make sure I stayed sharp and didn’t slack on my preparation.”
That mindset paid off. In Week 6, Lamar rushed for 245 yards and four touchdowns — his best performance of the season.
Ke’yaun, meanwhile, made the switch from defensive line to the secondary this year, where he’s been a huge difference-maker. He credits defensive backs coach Van Parker for helping him make the transition.
“Coach Parker isn’t the biggest guy,” Ke’yaun said. “When he played in college, he wasn’t the biggest or fastest either. He inspires me because I’m small for a DB. He put that ‘dog mentality’ in me, and I owe him for the position I’m in right now.”
Fairfield said he’s seen the most growth in the brothers off the field.
“Ke’yaun’s the jokester, the comedian — but when he got baptized and gave himself to God, I saw real change in his maturity,” Fairfield said. “Lamar hyperextended his elbow during wrestling, and when he came back, there was a lot of social media talk saying we wouldn’t be very good with him at quarterback. To see him take all that negativity and turn it into motivation has been amazing. He’s handled it with a maturity most teenagers shouldn’t have to develop yet.”
While Muskegon suffered a heartbreaking 16-14 loss at home to Traverse City Central in the Division 2 playoffs , the Bradford brothers and the rest of the Big Reds put the storied football program back on the right track after last year’s 3–5 campaign.
And for now, Ke’yaun and Lamar are continuing to focus on each season and moment of their high school journey — enjoying every bit of brotherhood and bonding along the way.
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